New toolkit launched to protect scientists from abuse

By Lyndal Byford

Director of News & Partnerships

Australian Science Media Centre

An employment dispute in NZ seems an unlikely place to stir up a global debate about the harassment of scientists, but when NZ scientist Siouxsie Wiles took on The University of Auckland for not protecting her sufficiently from abuse and harassment, she highlighted a story that is all too familiar to many experts around Australia.

Wiles, the head of University of Auckland’s Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab, has been described as ‘one of the most targeted people in New Zealand’ for her virus and vaccination opinions.

Wiles is not alone of course.

“I get regular anti-semitic hate online,” says epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz from The University of Wollongong.

“Occasional death threats, and a load of the expected nasty lies about myself posted everywhere just for discussing issues in certain research areas.  And, frankly, as a white man, I’m far luckier than some of my colleagues, who receive orders of magnitude more hate than I do.”

It is this sort of abuse that has led the Australian Science Media Centre (AusSMC) to create a toolkit to help experts who might be facing this online onslaught.

The online toolkit is available for free to researchers whose organisations are supporters of the AusSMC, and its development was supported by Springer Nature, Flinders University, The University of Sydney and CSIRO. (Otherwise contact AusSMC).

The material includes step-by-step guides to protection from online abuse, along with tips and videos on what to do if you find yourself on the receiving end of a pile-on.

The AusSMC has also developed workshops to help early to mid-career researchers with their social media self-defence, and more in-depth sessions for researchers who have experienced online abuse firsthand.

It’s an issue that appears to be widespread in Australia. Around one in three scientists who responded to a recent survey by Cosmosmagazine.com and the AusSMC said they had experienced abuse on social media.

Protecting science from public abuse

For some people, this can mean they withdraw from public debate, which can remove important voices from key conversations, and ultimately may pose a threat to the health of democracy.

“Helping policymakers and the public to understand scientific research – the findings as well as the process – is essential for a functional global society that can cope with looming challenges such as climate change and future pandemics,” said Dr Magdalena Skipper, Editor in Chief of Nature.

“Harassment is making that important work untenable for many researchers.”

Harassment and online abuse can also cause real and significant harm to people’s well-being. Data collected by the AusSMC and the journal Nature during the height of the pandemic showed that more than one in three scientists reported emotional or psychological distress. In Australia, around one in five scientists said they’d received death threats or threats of violence after speaking to the media about COVID-19.

Research organisations in Australian are also taking note, and seeing the role they need to play to address this issue.

Professor Emma Johnston, Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Sydney, said they have been taking solid steps towards protecting and supporting our staff, including by supporting the AusSMC toolkit and workshops. 

“It is critical academics contribute to public discourse and share their knowledge and expertise for the public good. But we know this duty can come with risk,” she says.